Sports
LeBron James and Tyrese Maxey Lead 76ers Past Knicks in NBA Cup Thriller
By AFP
LeBron James scored 20 points, including a late tip‑in, to help the Philadelphia 76ers defeat the New York Knicks 98‑93 on Friday. The win marked the 76ers’ second victory over the Knicks this season, following a triumph at Madison Square Garden on opening night. The game also served as the opening match of the fourth edition of the NBA Cup, an in‑season tournament that the Knicks won before capturing the NBA Finals title against the San Antonio Spurs. Group‑stage Cup games will continue through November, all counting toward regular‑season standings. Quarterfinals are scheduled for December 4‑5, semifinals for December 8‑9, and the final will take place on December 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 27 points, taking control early against a sluggish Knicks team. The 76ers built a 14‑point lead in the third quarter and survived a late Knicks surge. With 1:32 remaining, Jalen Brunson hit a step‑back three to give New York a 90‑89 lead. James answered with a basket that put Philadelphia back in front, and a tip‑in off a Maxey miss with 11.9 seconds left pushed the lead to 96‑91.
James, the NBA’s all‑time leading scorer, finished with 41 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, one steal and a chase‑down block. 76ers coach Nick Nurse described the performance as the best he has seen since joining the team as a free agent in July. "I thought he was really good all the way through," Nurse said. "When we got some downhill stuff, he used his size and knocked them around a little bit for some layups … kind of pushed and organised it. He’s been good, but that was his best game, for sure."
Brunson led the Knicks with 24 points. Karl‑Anthony Towns added 22 points and 12 rebounds. The Knicks fell to 2‑4 on the season.
In other games, the Dallas Mavericks, powered by 35 points from Kyrie Irving and 33 from Cooper Flagg, defeated the Houston Rockets 116‑111, handing Houston its first loss of the season. Irving’s three‑pointer with 7:01 remaining put Dallas back in front, and the Mavericks never trailed again.
Golden State, led by Stephen Curry’s 31 points, beat the Los Angeles Lakers 112‑95 in San Francisco. The Lakers scored 38 points in the first quarter, but the Warriors answered with 38 in the second to tie the game at 53‑53 at halftime. Curry’s career point total moved to 26,674, surpassing Dominique Wilkins for 18th on the all‑time scoring list.
Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded a triple‑double (31 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists) as the Miami Heat defeated the Indiana Pacers 145‑125. In Boston, the Celtics won 125‑111 over the Chicago Bulls, with Payton Pritchard scoring 30 off the bench and Jayson Tatum adding 26.
Orlando’s Desmond Bane scored 28 points, Franz Wagner added 26 and Wendell Carter chipped in 20 as the Magic beat the Raptors 121‑114 in Toronto, shooting 18 three‑pointers and withstanding a 41‑point performance from Scottie Barnes. Detroit’s Cade Cunningham scored 20 points as the Pistons defeated the Nets 110‑94 in Brooklyn, handing the Nets a fifth straight loss.